Drug Abuse

Birth control pill poses no added health risk

One of the world’s largest studies of the contraceptive pill has found that women who have taken it can expect longer lives and are…    

Medication fears lead to worse side effects

It may not be surprising, but a new study offers some proof that patients who are worried about their medications are more likely…    

Avosentan Reduces Proteinuria but Causes Serious Side Effects

The drug avosentan substantially reduces urinary protein loss in people with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, but the drug causes serious side…    

Herbal Medicines Can be Lethal, Pathologist Warns

A University of Adelaide forensic pathologist has sounded a worldwide warning of the potential lethal dangers of herbal medicines if taken in large quantities,…    

Warning over fake obesity drug for sale online

The drug, Alli, which is available over the counter in Britain, was found not to contain orlistat which it should have done.

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Opiate painkillers raise fracture risk

Older adults who take powerful prescription painkillers known as opioids face an increased risk of bone fractures, especially at moderately high medication doses, a…    

Heart Patients Warned Against Using Meridia, an Anti-Obesity Drug

European and American drug regulators had two starkly different reactions this week to data on an obesity drug. The raw data from the study…    

Counterfeit Internet drugs pose significant risks and discourage vital health checks

Men who buy fake internet drugs for erection problems can face significant risks from potentially hazardous contents and bypassing healthcare systems could leave associated…    

Long-term risks of Viagra® use unclear

The popular erectile dysfunction drug Viagra® is associated with a number of side effects, but data on long-term harms are still lacking, according to…    

Doubts on suicide-anti-smoking drug Chantix link

Despite earlier health agency warnings, there is no strong evidence that the anti-smoking drug Chantix raises the risk of suicidal thoughts or depression compared…    

US stops sildenafil (Viagra) trial in sickle cell

The U.S. National Institutes of Health said on Tuesday it had stopped a trial of the drug sildenafil, saying it caused serious medical problems…    

Suicide warning issued for two anti-smoking drugs

U.S. health officials on Wednesday ordered Pfizer Inc and GlaxoSmithKline PLC to add strong “black box” warnings on their anti-smoking drugs to highlight the…    

New Approach Promises Greater Success for Predicting Drug Safety

Adverse reactions to drugs represent one of the leading causes of death in the United States. But there may be a way to…    

Antipsychotic drug for dementia have adverse effects

Elderly patients with Alzheimer’s disease who are treated with second-generation antipsychotics should be monitored closely for weight gain and lipid abnormalities, according to an…    

China drug scams challenge pharmaceutical firms

When Pang Jianli walked into a Beijing pharmacy to buy medicine for his flu-stricken son, he was greeted by an overwhelming display of…    

Dangerous low blood sugar linked to sex drugs

Illegal anti-impotence drugs and herbs contaminated with the diabetes drug glyburide have caused some 150 cases of dangerously low blood sugar, researchers in Singapore…    

Are silicofluorides controlled?

It’s amazing, the TGA controls this poison in many drugs, lots of dental hygiene products (including mouthwash at 200ppm - now considered a possible…    

Prescription Opioid Abuse, Addiction Less Common Than Many Believe

The abuse and addiction potentials of opioid analgesics prescribed for patients with chronic pain have been of great concern. However, current research indicates…    

Deaths from Combining Drugs and/or Alcohol Skyrocket

Asking patients to monitor their own medications can be fatal, as exemplified by the recent death of actor Heath Ledger. In the first large-scale…    

Risks in Ordering Drugs by Internet on the Rise

A report from the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy concludes that consumers are facing a growing risk of getting counterfeit drugs because of…    

Are Your Children’s Rx Meds FDA-approved?

Many parents are under the assumption that any medicine prescribed by a health care provider for their child is safe and approved by the…    

Celebrex risky in high-risk patients, study finds

Doctors should prescribe the lowest doses of Celebrex possible in patients at high risk of heart problems, researchers who did a combined analysis of…    

No increase in stroke risk with non-aspirin NSAIDs

Taking non-aspirin anti-inflammatory painkillers, or NSAIDs, does not appear to increase the risk of bleeding stroke (also called hemorrhagic stroke), according to a study…    

Tips for Troublesome Medications

Bad reactions to a prescribed medication send more than 175,000 older Americans to the emergency room each year. Just 10 commonly used medications -…    

Popular Arthritis Drug May Disrupt Heart Rhythm, UB Research Finds

Celebrex, a popular arthritis drug that blocks pain by inhibiting an enzyme known as COX-2, has been shown in laboratory studies to induce arrhythmia,…